When Should You Consider Back Surgery, and When Should You Avoid It?

When Should You Consider Back Surgery, and When Should You Avoid It?

 Many diseases that result in persistent back pain can be treated with surgery, but not everyone needs to do so to get symptom relief. Back surgery is something that should be avoided whenever feasible for several reasons.

 

Back surgery is a catch-all word covering operations on your back's muscles, bones, nerves, and connective tissues. In addition to spine stability, nerve decompression, tumour removal, and the treatment of disorders like scoliosis, these operations are carried out for a variety of reasons.

 

A back procedure is not a decision to be taken lightly. Your back plays a significant role in your general functionality, and surgery has hazards of its own.

 

Back surgery might not always be the best or most efficient option for pain management.

 

Why you may want to avoid back surgery

 When you have persistent pain, back surgery may seem like the fastest route to recovery, but there are other factors to consider before making this choice.

 

Important factors to think about include surgery's adverse effects and the possibility that your symptoms won't improve or might even worsen.

 

Most surgeons will warn patients that any surgery is typically the last resort, claims Bryan Hathaway, owner of Peak Performance Physical Therapy and a physical therapist specializing in mechanical diagnosis and therapy in Owego, New York.

 

"It doesn't matter what type of surgery you have because there are risks involved," he says, alluding to the recognized mortality risks connected to anaesthesia and significant postoperative complications.

 

Infections, sluggish recovery, internal bleeding, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), nerve injury, and unfavourable results are among the lesser hazards.

 

The American Society of Anesthesiologists states that because of how closely surgeons deal with the central nervous system, back surgery is regarded as having a higher risk than other types of surgery.

 

The likelihood of paralysis and other negative effects from nerve damage, such as:

• muscle weakness or atrophy
• cramping or muscle twitches
• poor motor function control
• tingling or prickling sensations
• loss of feeling

 

Can surgery make symptoms worse?

 There is a potential for secondary injury if you alter your body's normal state.

 

Surgery on the back involves the manipulation of bones, blood vessels, nerves, and soft tissue. Any of these bodily areas could experience new symptoms or become more painful as a result of additional damage.

 

Also important are personal variables. For a variety of reasons, not everyone reacts to back surgery the same way.

 

According to Hathaway, "There are a variety of factors that influence the outcome following any treatment, including surgery." Age, expectations, the duration of the pathology, the environment, and factors like fitness and diet can all have an impact.

 

 

Back surgery success rate

 Even though each form of back surgery has a different success rate, up to 40% of back operations fail on average.

 

The group of symptoms that follow a failed back surgery are so typical that they are known as "failed back surgery syndrome."

 

 

Who is not a good candidate for back surgery?

 Your doctors will decide if you are a candidate for surgery. It entails a study of specific aspects such as your general health, any current medical conditions, and your ability to adopt the essential lifestyle adjustments for the optimum result.

 

According to Hathaway, you might not be a candidate for surgery if you have certain pre-existing problems.

 

You might not be eligible for back surgery if you have a blood disease, have severe osteoporosis, or are at higher risk for infection.

 

Patients must also be prepared to modify their lifestyle following surgery, he adds. This can entail giving up smoking, eating healthier, and losing weight.

 

You might not be a good candidate for back surgery if you can't make the adjustments required for it to be successful.

 

Who is a good candidate for back surgery?

The following common conditions are candidates for surgical treatment:

1. degenerative disk disease
2. spinal tumours
3. herniated disk
4. spinal infection
5. spondylolisthesis
6. scoliosis
7. Lumbar spinal stenosis
8. vertebral compression fractures

 

Even if surgery is a possibility for your diagnosis, it doesn't necessarily follow that it should be used. After a few weeks of noninvasive therapy, the majority of back pains get better. Trusted Source.

 

As with any operation, when your total surgical risks are low, you are regarded as a suitable candidate.

 

Considerations include age, body weight, dietary patterns, and general health. Your doctor will also take into account other aspects of your recovery, including your capacity to adhere to rehabilitation regimens, your ability to travel to appointments, and the degree of at-home assistance.

 

When is a back operation required?

Back surgery is occasionally required. This path may be suggested by your doctor if you are:

1. having uncontrollable, crippling, scorching pain, being unable to function well enough to perform daily duties, and having a condition that could be fatal.
2. experiencing severe spinal instability after an accident, being diagnosed with it, recognizing bladder or bowel incontinence in an emergency circumstance, suffering major spinal cord compression, and receiving little to no relief through noninvasive treatments.
3. weakness in the lower extremities

 

What can you do instead of back surgery?

 The underlying causes of your back pain will determine how you should treat it.

 

Regardless of your illness, Hathaway advises concentrating on healthy living habits that might enhance your well-being.

 

"Change your lifestyle first," he advises. An internal environment that is most supportive of healing is created by good nutrition and exercise.

 

Then, he advises looking for conservative treatment, such as:

• acupuncture
• chiropractic work
• physical therapy
• yoga
• Pain management treatment
• core strengthening
• massage therapy

Consider surgery if these therapies and lifestyle adjustments don't help your symptoms, advises Hathaway. "Since you have already changed your lifestyle, the results of the surgery will be better."

 

 

Takeaway

 Back surgery is not always a bad thing. For many people, it may be a crucial, required, or even life-saving operation.

 

However, just because you can undergo back surgery doesn't always mean you should.

 

Back surgery should be avoided whenever feasible due to several factors, including the potential for surgical complications, a poor success rate, and the possibility of worsening or developing new problems.

 

While your back heals naturally, healthy lifestyle changes and alternative therapies like physical therapy, acupuncture, or massage therapy may help relieve symptoms.